


Golden Moon

by knowlee_raven



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Baby Claude/Khalid needs a hug, Claude/Khalid's first assassination attempt against his life, Gen, Slight mention of F!Byleth towards the end, Some angst, first time he activates his crest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:21:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24380476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/knowlee_raven/pseuds/knowlee_raven
Summary: Khalid's best friend was the moon.It was always there for him in the night sky whenever he felt lonely and listened to him as cried out in pain from the various torments he received from those who wanted him gone.For one night in particular, the moon does more than lend it's ear, it saves his life.
Kudos: 34





	Golden Moon

* * *

A Fire Emblem Three Houses Fanfiction

Golden Moon

By: Knowlee Raven

* * *

The glow from the waning crescent moon blurred in his line of sight. Sniffing slightly, Khalid brought his tiny hand up in a fist to wipe the tears off his face furiously. But as soon as he did, more spilled out of his eyes shortly after. Snot ran down his nose and no amount of sniffling was getting rid of it.

Hiccuping loudly, he tried once again to rid his face of the offending water. “Why does nobody like me?”

The moon sat up in the night sky glowing down upon him. It spoke no words, but the unmoving face that could be seen on it's surface made it look as if it were listening to everything spoken. No judgment was given towards him for the harsh language he used to describe the boy that had thrown insults and rocks his way.

It was because of this, the moon became Khalid's best friend.

Not once did it speak down to him because of who his mother was or the fact that he shared her blood. Nor did it judge him for his scheming tendencies and even listened as he explained how he was going to get them to work. It sat still as he told stories of his daily escapades in the palace or of his times training with Nader. There were even times the celestial being helped him discover some hidden secrets of those those who tormented him so that he could use that knowledge against them by using it's ethereal glow to bring them to light.

But the most important thing the moon did to cement its status as his best friend was this: It never hated him for existing.

It was always there for him when he needed it and even on the nights where it couldn't be found, it would always reappear later, eager to listen to him some more. There were even times Khalid would find it sitting in the daytime sky as a reminder that it was always there and would never leave.

It had earned his trust.

Wiping away the last of his snot and tears, Khalid lay back down in his bed, the moon's light filtering in from the nearby window reassuring him that everything was going to be alright. His chest still heaved occasionally from the intense crying session he had a few minutes ago, but for the most part, he had calmed down.

Although he wanted nothing more than to just stay in bed and never move, Khalid knew that wasn't going to be the case. He was the crown prince after all. Hiding away from his problems wouldn't solve them. Only forcing his way through would.

But with how small he was, that was easier said than done.

Tiredness sweeping through his body, Khalid felt his body relax and start to enter into a restless sleep. Oh well, tomorrow was another day. The probability of it being any different from today was low, but one could hope.

* * *

Khalid returned to his vigil the next night only to see that the moon was no where to be found. He wasn't surprised by this too much since he had previously charted its phases and knew that it would return within a few days. 

There were some people he knew that took the disappearance of the moon as an ill omen. Saying that without the moon's light casting down its rays, evil was allowed to roam rampant, unchallenged.

Although the theory didn't sound very logical to him, he nonetheless still kept to his room during those nights, refusing to let anyone other than his mother or father enter. With how crazy his life was, he couldn't afford to take that chance. Beyond that, he felt more assured of his surroundings when his friend was out to watch over him and when he wasn't there, he felt more vulnerable.

Lamenting the moon's absence, he took this time to instead look at the stars that littered the dark blanket of sky. Although the moon became the central figure in what he looked forward to seeing every time he looked up, the stars kept reminding him that his problems were solvable and that he could achieve anything his mind wanted to.

The twinkling of the tiny dots kept his attention for some time as he traced the constellations that his parents showed him, both Almyran and Fodlani. He recounted the stories behind both iterations and wondered if one day there would be a constellation named after him.

Sharp pain came from a point in his back. He started to scream as it went deeper, but a hand lashed out to prevent it from escaping. Fear enveloped him. What was going on? Why was he in pain?

The tears returned as he searched the sky above for the off chance that his friend would be there.

But no, the sky was still dark.

Before he could react, the sharp pain disappeared and Khalid fell down onto the bed, feeling weak. The fear that hit him turned into panic. Who was that? What was that smell? Why couldn't he do anything?

The sheets grew wet underneath him as he tried to lift himself up to find the person who made him feel this way. However he couldn't. He felt too tired.

What was happening?

His verdant eyes glanced up towards the night sky once again as a loud shout came from somewhere outside his room. Where was his friend?

Had even it abandoned him?

Khalid barely felt the arms of his mother lifting him up off the bed and the sound of her voice screaming. A warmth registered on his face as he saw the same shade of eyes staring into his own, tears falling from them.

His breathing grew shallower and although something tight had been wrapped around his waist, he knew something was wrong.

Was this what dying felt like?

_“Khalid, please stay with me! Fight it!”_

His mother's sharp tone reminded him of the many times his parents told him he had to fight his own battles and would need to learn to stand up for himself due to all the hatred that was being sent his way. Was this what they meant?

Determination began to well up inside. He didn't want his mother to cry, not over him. She didn't deserve to be sad.

A strange warmth, one he never felt before, bloomed in his chest. Before he had a chance to wonder what it was, a golden light appeared before he and his mother, hovering just above him and forming into a familiar shape.

He barely heard the gasp his mother made and was instead mesmerized by the form the light had taken.

The moon. It never left him.

As the sigil continued to glow, the pain he felt slowly began to go away. The tiredness, however, remained and shortly after the symbol had vanished, he fell into a quiet sleep.

* * *

When Khalid awoke next, he was in his parents' room with both of them by his side, neither one refusing to leave until his father was summoned by a guard who apparently from what little he could hear, was the reason why he was here.

He spent the next few days holed up in their room listening to the lullabies his mother would sing to him and slowly regaining his strength. When he was finally allowed to leave, he found himself in a new room with a new guard chosen by Nader himself to protect him from anyone else that dared to do him harm. His father gifted him with a dagger to keep under his pillow and his mother told him to never speak of the golden symbol to anyone outside of herself.

Nervousness and fear set in the first night he had to stay in the new location. The feeling subsided a bit when his old friend the moon reappeared in the night sky, growing bigger with each passing moment. And so, regardless of the trauma that had set in because of the previous instance, Khalid returned to his vigil of watching the moon. He felt safer knowing it was there and even if it wasn't, he knew the moon stayed with him, out of sight, but still reachable.

That reassurance in mind, his body began to fall asleep and with his last thoughts before it claimed him, he thanked the moon for saving him and remaining his friend.

* * *

_Years later, after he reached Fodlan and encountered a strange woman who saved his life among two others one night, he wondered for a time afterward if the moon had found another way to protect him._

_And, if he remembered correctly, the sky was dark that night too..._

**Author's Note:**

> I planned on working on the next chapter for my 'Like It Was Fate' fic that I've got up on here, but this little idea wouldn't leave me alone, so I had to write it out so that it wouldn't bother me anymore.
> 
> And yes, with me being the Claudleth shipper that I am, I had to throw that little mention towards the end. *shrugs* Sorry, can't help myself sometimes.
> 
> It's just with all the comparisons my brain was making with the moon's characteristics with Byleth's (especially when they first met), I had to insert it in there.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed! Hopefully the next time you'll see me will be with a new update for the other fic I mentioned earlier.
> 
> Stay safe you guys!


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